Before He Left
by ClairLynn
Summary: Despite her promise to never fall in love with any guy, Amelia had fallen in love with the Sheriff of Storybrooke, Graham Humbert. They had a love she thought could never be broken, until many devastating events happened. When she thought nothing worse could happen, a ten year old tells her that everyone has a fairy-tale identity including her, and gives some evidence to prove it.
1. Chapter 1 - 8:00 am

I woke up with a yawn.

"Have a good night's sleep?" my roommate Maryann asked.

I nodded. "What time is it?" I asked tiredly.

Maryann smiled. "It's 7:35 am."

7:35 already?! I overslept. I needed to be at the coffee shop very soon so I could be in time for work. I jumped out of my bed and hurriedly got dressed. After I was dressed, I brushed my hair while putting my shoes on and brushed my teeth while putting on my jacket.

"See you later, Mary!" I yelled as I ran out the door, locking it behind me.

I walked as fast as I could to the coffee shop and entered as soon as I got there. I glanced at the clock. 8:00 am. I breathed a sigh of relief. If I could be out of here in ten minutes, I'd be at the elementary school and teaching just in time. I straightened my jacket and sat at the bar.

"Anything I can get you?" Ruby asked.

"Um, yes. Can I get some coffee? Nothing added, just normal coffee."

Ruby laughed. "You got it."

I looked down at my fingernails as someone sat next to me. "That's an odd order."

I met his eyes and nodded. "Sheriff. How are you?"

He laughed. "I'm doing fine. And you, Miss Rogers?"

"Amelia. I'm doing good."

We looked at each other for an awkward time. During this time, I was probably the most nervous I had ever been in my life. I began tapping absentmindedly on the table.

"Here's your coffee," Ruby said as she placed the drink in front of me.

I took it and stood up. "Thank you so much."

I turned to Graham as he was brushing his wavy hair out of his face. "Good day, Sheriff," I told him, and turned to the door to exit.

"Good day, Mel."

I smiled to myself. "Amelia."

I glanced at the time once more before I left the shop. 8:06 am. Looks like I'll be a little early to work today.

~~~

Actually, by the time I got into my classroom and was ready to teach my class of second graders, I was about five minutes late. To make things worse, this was my tenth time being late this month. In a row. And the principal of the school was sitting at my desk waiting for me.

As quickly as I could, I put my purse in a closet and made the final preparations for the day. "Good morning, Mr. Barnes," I said as I walked past him.

"Ms. Rogers, you're late," he paused. "Again."

"Yes sir, I am very sorry. There was a..." I stopped, thinking of how to describe the encounter with the sheriff. "Distraction. It won't happen again."

He casually and smoothly stood up. "You know, Amelia, I might believe you, but you said that same thing yesterday."

I stopped moving. "Yes. Yes, I did." After saying that, I walked over to the chalkboard and wrote a few simple math equations like 24+15 and 36+10. I tried my best to pretend that the principal wasn't there while I was teaching. Apparently, my previous comment and my ignorance of his presence deterred him, and he angrily left the room.

One of my students, Jackson, politely raised his hand. I smiled at him. "Yes?" I asked him.

"You have a sticky note on you," he answered.

I frowned and pulled my dark black hair over my shoulder, actually finding a sticky note in it. When I saw who it was from, I rolled my eyes, slightly smiled, and re-read the note a few more times.

Miss Rogers,  
Have a good day!  
Your friend,  
Graham Humbert

"What is it?" Another student, Cooper, called out.

I laughed. "It's a note from a friend," I said. "An annoying one." How did he ever manage to get it in my hair? He must have put it in there when I paused at the door.

"Is it your boyfriend?" Zeke called out. Ooos spread throughout the room.

I felt my face growing red and came back with my usual answer. "No. I'm not going to fall in love with anybody. Ever."


	2. Chapter 2 - Strings

After that slightly embarrassing incident, I continued teaching my class with a not so unusually cheerful attitude. The students were not surprisingly in a good mood and full of curiosity and questions. As the end of the day rolled around, the children started getting anxious. There was still thirty minutes left and I figured we could finish the lesson tomorrow, so I dismissed them for an extra recess with the other second grade class next door.

As I was heading to check my mailbox in the front office, I saw the mayor of the town, Regina Mills, walk into the principal's office with an amused look on her face. Just by glancing at the look on her face, anyone could see that she was up to something, and I'm pretty sure it would only end up being beneficial to her. The only window in the principal's office was on the door, so when I decided to eavesdrop on their conversation, I made sure to avoid that window.

"She never takes anything seriously!" the principal was saying. "She's always late and always has an atrocious attitude and sass when she talks to me!"

"So what you're suggesting is that Ms. Rogers is too inexperienced?" Mayor Mills questioned.

"No," Principal Johnson's voice was even more stern than usual. "I'm suggesting she should be fired."

Regina chuckled. "Oh. Going to the extremes, now, aren't we?"

"I do not appreciate your ease with this matter. The only reason I called you up here was because before a teacher is fired, the mayor has to approve of it. Anyway, Ms. Rogers went to the extreme a while ago when she started slacking like she is."

"Very well, then." Regina Mills held an edge of enjoyment to her voice. "Send me the forms and it shall be done."

I gasped. Reflexively, I threw my hand up and covered my mouth, praying they hadn't heard me; though it seemed like they did. The office was silent. I darted down the hall and to my classroom before they could catch me listening to their conversation, and fell into my chair once I got there. My body went numb to the point that the only thing I could feel was the tears streaming down my face as quickly as a river might flow. I had never lost a job before. And I was under the impression I was doing a good job with my job except for being a few minutes late every morning. But, as Principal Johnson had said multiple times, I was not fit to be a teacher.

"Hey," a voice said.

I looked up and saw Sheriff Graham leaning against the doorpost of the classroom. I quickly wiped away the tears on my cheeks, folded my hands back in my lap, and stared at them. I could feel my cheeks glowing red. "If you hadn't noticed," I started. "Now would not be a pleasant time for visiting."

"I know," Graham said in a gentle, soft voice. "I saw you in the hallway and came to see what was wrong."

"It's none of your concern." I still refused to make any eye contact with Graham, but allowed my mind to wonder why he had come in the first place. Had the principal called him here for that discussion, too? Gosh, I hoped he hadn't. That would be the last thing I needed.

"And in case you were wondering..." he paused to make sure he had my full attention. Which, as much as much as I might have hated it, he already did. And against my own will, I glanced up at him and let my own dark brown eyes lock with his pair of bright blue ones. "I came here to see you anyway. To make sure you got my note."

The thought of the note brought a small smile to my face. "I did," I said in a voice so quiet it was almost a whisper.

Graham smiled one of his perfect white smiles that brought most girls immediately under his spell and ran a hand through his curly brown hair. "I'd hoped so."

Moments passed where he was so quiet I thought he had left; though I would glance up and find him there, still leaning against the doorpost. Eventually, I heard him begin to hum a song. I attempted to discern what song it was and eventually, I did. "You know that song?" I asked aloud, surprise evident in my tone of voice.

The sheriff chuckled. "I know - it's a girl song. But yes, I do know it."

The song he was humming happened to be one of my favorite songs: 'Strings' by Shawn Mendes. Almost immediately after he answered my question, he began singing the song, though he was singing very quietly at first. "Darling I want all the strings attached, I love it when you look at me like that. And you're the only girl that brings me back..."

"'Cause baby I want all the strings attached," I reluctantly finished. This brought a smile to Graham's face once again, apparently encouraging him to continue.

"It's like always and forever, I won't let a moment pass." His singing voice was not-too-surprisingly amazing, and he was now looking me in the eyes, making me more nervous than I ever thought I could be. Nevertheless, I continued singing along with him.

"And when I'm with you I feel better; I want all the strings, all the strings attached," I sang at the same time he did. I stood up due to not being comfortable sitting as Graham slowly walked over to me.

"So come on girl let me hold your hand," he continued, and gently but firmly took hold of my hand with a smirk on his face.

I blushed, but continued to sing the song with him. "Let's go get lost, live without a plan. And I know you've got the world to see, but you know you mean the world to me. And I know right now you got second thoughts; do whatever it takes, pay whatever the cost, yeah."

We didn't sing past that point; as soon as I noticed my hand remained in his, I pulled it away, my face beet red. "You're a great singer," Graham said presumably to break the silence.

I blushed even more, if that was even possible. "You are too."

My eyes remained on his, the rest of my body motionless. Was I really giving in to him? Was I finally letting myself fall in love? "No," I said aloud by accident. "I'm not. I can't be."

"Pardon?" the sheriff questioned, his expression now confused as well as amused.

I shook my head and tore away from his gaze. "Nothing." I paused. "I should be going."

He hesitantly nodded. "Me too." Once he reached the door to exit, he paused, looked back at me, and flashed a smile. "I'll see you tomorrow, Miss Rogers." After saying goodbye, he left, shutting the door behind him.

"It's Amelia, " I whispered.


	3. Chapter 3 - Second Thoughts

'I don't like him like that,' I kept telling myself after he left. Part of the song we had been singing with each other ran through my head: 'And I know right now you got second thoughts..." I audibly laughed. I was definitely having second thoughts. Judging by past experiences other women had from being in an intimate relationship with him, all it would cause was pain. And that just happened to be the main reason I was never letting myself fall in love.

I will admit, he is extremely handsome. Almost too good looking to resist, actually. But I've resisted before, and my feelings have been spared. So why not resist this time? 'Because he's perfect and seems like he might truly care about me.' I thought to myself. But it didn't matter if he was the one. I was keeping my promise to myself, no matter what.

"Finally home?" My roommate Maryann questioned with a hint of a smile on her voice. I was an hour late compared to the usual half hour late thanks to another Humbert run in.

Against my own will, I smiled at the thought of the sheriff. "Yeah, sorry. The sheriff held me up."

Maryann's eyebrows rose and a smirk appeared on her face that seemed breathtaking compared to everyone else's in our town, including Regina. "Ooohhh. Finally got yourself a boyfriend, did you?"

I laughed. "Not at all." We both knew that wasn't the full truth. "What do you want for dinner?" I asked to change the subject.

"I was thinking something like Granny's...?" She suggested.

I rolled my eyes. She loved going to Granny's Diner; most likely because her boyfriend had a job there. "I guess." I answered. She grinned. Immediately after it was decided, we both grabbed our purses and raced out the door to the diner.

~~~

"That was the best dinner I have had in weeks," Maryann said once she had finished eating.

Ruby, the waitress, giggled. "It's exactly what you had two days ago. The last time you two came."

Maryann shrugged. That was always one thing I never seemed to be able to grasp about her. She never lost her cool. No matter what the situation was, she remained calm about everything. Despite how close we've become, I always seem to lose my cool and freak out. You'd think her calm collective attitude would rub off on me after all this time, but I let my anxiety get the best of me. Speaking of unbelievable amounts of calmness, another person who had that same trait walked into the diner.

"Gosh, I can't ever escape him, can I," I mumbled to myself under my breath.

Both Ruby and Maryann gave me odd looks. "What are you talking about?" Maryann questioned.

Ruby glanced at the door, apparently saw who had entered, and gave a slight laugh. She looked in my direction with an expression of understanding clouding her face. "Whatever the situation is, it's not my business." And with that, she walked away, her heeled boots clicking on the floor.

I returned my attention to Maryann. I saw her wave slightly at Graham, which caused Graham to wave at the both of us, his undeniably handsome smile spreading across his face. This is a perfect example of a situation where I might lose my cool. And I did.

I snapped my head back in my best friend's direction, too panicked to even glance in Graham's direction. Why did he always have to make me so nervous? Only one other guy had ever made me feel like this, and he was my first kiss. He was also the first person to break my heart. The fact that I was getting these feelings again made me freak out even more; it made me even more wary of the sheriff.

The sheriff whose eyes I couldn't help but getting lost in. Whose hair I couldn't help but want - no - need to run my fingers through.

No. I won't let this happen. Not again.

"Amelia," Maryann said. Her voice held more force than it usually did. Had I zoned out?

"Hmm?" I asked, still slightly out of it.

"I said I was going to say hi to Levi before I left and that you could go ahead and leave if you wanted to."

I smirked. Levi was her boyfriend and they had been dating for almost a year now, so they were practically inseparable. "Yeah, I'll go ahead and go."

As I started to get up to head to the door, I caught sight once again of Graham, but this time he wasn't standing alone. He was standing with Regina.

My heart started racing once more in my small-framed chest. "On second thought, I'll just stay here," I said and sat back down. Maryann followed my gaze.

"Is something wrong?" she asked.

I shook my head slightly, growing even more uneasy and troubled by the second. Then I had a realization: Regina must be here to talk to Graham about me. About firing me from the job that I loved so much. It made perfect sense, because the sheriff's approval was also needed to relieve a person from their career. Shoot, I thought. This'll give Graham even more of a reason to talk to me. And I really don't need that.

"Are you jealous?" Maryann asked in a teasing tone.

"What?" I could feel my face growing red. "No, it's just-" my words died on my lips. "I- he-" I sighed in frustration. I couldn't seem to get the words I needed to say out of my mouth. Mostly because I didn't know what it was that I needed to say in the first place.

"Then what is it, if you're not jealous?" she asked.

"It's nothing," I repeated, not wanting to admit to the situation that had a strong potential of forcing me out of my job. "I'm fine," I muttered, too troubled about why Regina might be taking the sheriff outside to be even partly consumed in the current conversation.

Maryann quickly glanced in Graham's direction again and her eyebrows rose. "Oh. She's taking him outside. But why would she be doing that?"

I shrugged, and went to stand up again. "I'm gonna go ahead and head back. Y'know, plan the rest of my lessons for tomorrow."

Maryann nodded, clearly concerned. "I guess I'll go talk to Levi, then."

~~~

I remained outside of Granny's Diner 15 minutes later, thinking about everything that had happened in just the past 24 hours. Adjusting my positioning on the cold, metal seats, my mind inevitably wandering to Sheriff Graham. He and Regina had both went separate ways a while ago. I shivered. It was unusually chilly in Storybrooke today, despite it being mid-September.

"What's the girl's name again?" I heard a husky voice say in the distance. I sat up straighter in an attempt to hear whatever this voice was saying better, as whoever it belonged to wasn't talking quite loud enough.

"Amy? Anabela maybe?" Another lighter voice guessed.

I frowned. They sounded suspicious, though I was probably being paranoid as usual.

"Oh wait!" The lighter voice exclaimed. "It was Amelia!"

Now that set me on edge. As far as I knew, there was only one Amelia in Storybrooke, and that was me. I hadn't done anything very wrong recently, except for - oh, right. My job.

"Yeah. Amelia Rogers." It was the huskier voice again this time.

What did Mayor Mills have up her sleeve this time? I had thought that you only needed confirmation from the sheriff, mayor, and principal of the town to get someone removed as a teacher of the school. Of course I might be wrong, but I highly doubted it.

My hands started shaking in my lap as I began to lose my cool once more. The men's voices sounded like they were getting closer but I couldn't be sure; they were so muffled.

I practically jumped to my feet once I could tell they were definitely right around the corner of Granny's, and began walking as quick as I could in the opposite direction. My brain began scrambling in multiple directions as it always does when I get this nervous. I tugged at the ends of my hair nervously while nearly tripping over my own feet in an attempt to escape the situation.

"Hey! Stop!" The sound of heavy boots stomping in my direction caused me to run faster if that was even possible.

Did Regina show them what I looked like when she had them search for me? Or were they people I already knew? And why would they be chasing me if they were only helping in the process of getting me fired? That's when I started to think that maybe that might not be the reason they had been talking to each other about me after all.


	4. Chapter 4 - What Plan?

"Hey! We said stop!"

The two men were gaining on me big time. I glanced back, and by the looks of it, they were both very unfortunately much larger than I was. I began running, almost tripping over my heels multiple times. I debated turning into an alley and hiding, but there were too many reasons I could think of that wouldn't allow that to work.

I continued running from them for another hour it seemed, but in reality it was probably only a minute. My gaze drifted back in the men's direction once more. They were closer than I had previously thought - almost within arm's reach now.

"Amelia!" I whipped my head back around to the voice that came from in front of me. It was Graham, not surprisingly. But, for once, I was excited to see him. He was the sheriff; he was obliged to help me even if he didn't want to, which at the moment was very relieving.

"Graham!" I gripped his large, toned arm the best I could with my tiny hands as I ran past, dragging him with me.

"What did you get yourself into now?" he muttered as he pulled his gun out of the belt wrapped around his waist.

"I don't know," I breathed, and I was telling the truth. I really didn't know.

This much running was causing me to lose my breath, but the men behind me seemed fine.

I fumbled a little, but caught myself before I could even get close to the ground. Seconds later, I clumsily tripped over my own feet once again. I didn't manage to catch myself this time, and braced for the impact by reflexively squeezing my eyes shut and tensing. The impact never came.

I yanked my eyes open to see that the sheriff had caught me and was now carrying me in his arms. I didn't even seem to slow him down any as he kept speeding down the sidewalk. I hurriedly wrapped my arms around his neck so I wouldn't fall from his arms.

"Can't use your own legs, can you?" He asked in a joking manner.

Our pursuers were falling behind, thanks to Sheriff Graham.

"I was using my legs just fine before you came along," I snapped.

He rose an eyebrow. "So now you're complaining? It looks like I'm saving your butt right now. Anyway, you're the one who dragged me after you."

I sighed, smirking as I returned his joking demeanor in an attempt to calm my nerves. "Sorry. I can't help but have an attitude towards annoying men."

He chuckled. "Shut up, Mel."

"My name is _Amelia_."

"Not the last time I checked."

"Shut up, Sheriff," I laughed.

He sped around a corner and began looking around, hopefully for somewhere to hide since the men were still coming.

"My name is _Graham_ ," he said in a high-pitched, teasing imitation of my previous comment.

"You're an idiot."

"I'll take that as a compliment."

Hardly a second later we were crouched in a shaded part of a cramped alley around the pile of broken furniture. He set me down gently next to him, and I let my hand rest on his thigh. That is, until he put his hand on mine.

I jumped. The contact made my heart race and my nervousness more noticeable than before, if that was possible. Consequently, I pulled my hand away and placed it in my own lap.

 _'No falling in love,'_ I reminded myself.

It seemed like I had to remind myself every hour with Graham around, and it was obvious why: I would fall in love with him if I didn't.

Leaves crunched as who I assumed were the two men walked into the alley.

"Where'd they go? Do you see them?" One asked quite loudly.

"Shuddup, you dimwit, they're gonna hear us!" The other whisper-yelled. "And we gotta take the broad in for questioning, so if she escapes cause a' that sheriff, Madame Mayor's gonna have it in for us!"

I gasped sharply. Graham put a gentle hand on my shoulder and a finger to his lips. I nodded. My breaths quickened.

Every second turned to a minute, every minute to an hour. Eventually, everything seemed to freeze. My breathing froze, Graham's hand on my shoulder froze, the noises surrounding us froze.

"Hello, laddie!" A young, attractive man with a ringing voice exclaimed as he popped his head around the corner of furniture we were hiding behind. He held an old, raggedy cloth to Graham's nose.

I jumped a foot into the air at the startling intrusion. "Graham, don't breathe!"

Graham's head nodded as if he were drunk and he fell towards me, landing on my lap. It was too late; the effects of the poison, possibly chloroform, had gotten to him and he was passed out.

"Graham!" I yelled, running my fingers shakily over his rough wisp of a beard.

I looked back at the young man, frightened more than ever now that Graham was unconscious.

"Lassie," he smiled. "I only have one question for you, and it would do you good to answer it correctly the first time."

The other larger and relatively older man appeared next to the one that had spoke. My fingers rested either in Graham's hair or on the side of his face as I glanced anxiously between the two.

"W-what's the q-question?" I managed to stutter.

The talkative one chuckled. "There's no help in beating around the bush about it, so I'll just get to the point. What's your plan?"

"Plan?" I was thoroughly confused, and at the same time that I hoped he would clarify, I also hoped he wouldn't so that I could escape this situation. It was foolish to hope that if he didn't clarify then I could escape, I know, but at the moment it seemed like if he didn't then it would stop what was happening.

"Your plan to destroy what Regina has set up. So the rest of the people in this town can retrieve their memories and return to the Enchanted Forest." This earned him a well-placed whack on the back of his head from his bulky companion.

"Shuddup, Millard!" The larger one bellowed.

"Ey, what was that for, Bay?" Millard had a hand on the back of his head, his face now turned to Bay.

"You're telling her too much! What if she really doesn't know?"

"But Regina-"

Get out of the way!" Bay growled, shoving Millard behind him and moving to take his place in front of me. He was close enough that I could smell his breath, which matched his hideous face. "Now, dearie. What might your plan be?"

"I d-don't know what you're t-talking about," I whimpered.

He picked up whatever was nearest to him, which happened to be an old, faded glass bottle. "Are you sure?"

These men were insane! Of course I didn't know what they were talking about! What was the Enchanted Forest even supposed to be? I only knew of the forest on the outskirts of town, and I was pretty sure that wasn't enchanted. And what did they mean by saying the town could retrieve their memories? Nobody was completely forgetful of their past here.

"Yes, I'm sure," I answered, desperate for any type of confirmation of what was happening to me.

Bay frowned. He held out his giant hand to Millard, who then put the same washcloth that had caused Graham to pass out in Bay's open hand. Bay held it to my face and I did my best to hold my breath, but I could only do that for so long. As soon as I breathed whatever substance was on the rag in, I began to feel the effects. My vision grew blurry, and the last thing I heard was Millard's pleased voice saying, "Nighty night, Lassie."


End file.
